The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-02-24

LEARxiNo CONFINEMENT
The Rev. bartholomew Brown was
good mar, thoroughly consecrsied 70 hi'
profes.ion. But be. being human, had
~ealue..e. snd ioiblcs sDd vas unden'sbl,
seryous Sometimes. IL must bs admitted
be -e irritable, Noises interrupted 'a'
DOE 81 Ais installations. and agents had
joggied more than one Of bis diseonrses 10
% ruins: nevertheless. he wAs ssood msn
South Turtsy,ills sas ,hriyiog east
srp railway centre. said by some o. is sd-
mirers 10 be almost western 10 It's activity
Mr. Browns church. the orthodox, bad
the largest and handsomesi meeting house
10 the village. Iis spire vas Tho ialiesi,
i,s bell the mos, expensive, and, thsnks tc
Mr.. Browns erertions, II contained the
largest organ. The orthodox fold con
tanned the first families. They gave hber
ally 10 missions. spent siI hundred dol
lars year on choir, and we're, on inc
whole, . very harmonious people, Not
witbstapding oil these happy conditions,
Mr.. Brown WAS al times decidedly discon'
tented aud unhappy. These times came
usually the first OF May, for the orthodox
church had no parsonage. Given twelve
hundred a year, paid casually, and with
certain per cent Of II left 10 non interest
bearing limbo. called "back salary,
man finds twenty five dollars month paid
promptly a burden. Moreover moving Is
costly business. 0il-cloths and curtains
never at. Stove pipes have a madening
tendency to come apart and stay so, and
the best intentionsd drsyman will some
times set the sofa on top oil the china
basket.
The Browns were refined New Eng
lsnders, with . large endowment OF the
gift called "iaculty." The most dreary
old rat,letrsp Of a house became oozy
home under their management. Flowers
and grasses took place OF weeds. Spotless
glass took the place OF old hats, and the
premises soon wore the air Of we'll being
which awakens in the alert landlord the
impression that he does not ask enough
rent The consequences was that the raise
in rent drove Mr.. Brown into discomfort
and new quarters every year. During
May it was expected that his shspely ing
ers would be ornamented with linen
bandages aud that he would preach old
sermons, while his wife would disappear
from public view altogether.
When, however, Mr.. Brown prepared TO
move for the seventh time, his irritation
reached such pitch that he told the dea-
con that the church must build parson.
age, or he would leave South Turkeyville
forever. Deacon Twitchell. who dreaded
change at once wrote notice for Ameet
ing to consider the matter, and though
Minadeb Pettis, read with heavy emphasis
on the wrong words, as his habit was,
the people turned out with hearty good
will.
There was no question OF land. Mr.
Flipper, the president Of the board Of
trustees, said there was plenty ofroom be
hind the meeting house for parsonage
Mr.. Brown said he did not like the loci
ton. The house would Of necessity face
the north, apd would be quite SHUT up
frou, the afternoon sun. Moreover, ii
| would be devoid OF shade on the east, as
we'll as exposed To oil the dust aud smells
Of the alley.
| Mr.. Twitchell, the conservative deacon,
was shocked and said that in his opinion
the proper place for a parsonage was be
side the church, and il that were not pos
sible behind it. Mr.. Featherly, the lit.
tie deacon, said: II anybody gave me a
house to live in l wouldn't growl about
the spot, il il was healthy" So the qnes-
tion OF situation was dropped.
Old Squire Bull, who owned whole
oil we'll, besides sections Of several coal
mines, but who had always opposed build
ing . parsonage on the ground OF expense,
surprised every one by Offering aquantity
OF old lumber. Deacon Twitcbell, who
was putting plate-glass into the upright
part OF bis house, offered to give bis old
windows Mr. Flipper offered q
handsome supply Of auction gas fixtures
aud Deacon FeatherIy, who was poor. and
could i'll afford il, agreed to furnish oil
the paint for the interior and put II on.
i Before the week was over men were dig
ging the parsonage cellar, and Mr. and
i Mrs. Brown were struggling 10 persuade
the building committee that light and
closets we're more essential than the grea
double paflor, planned, Deacon Tstcbel
explained, for church socials Ia spite ol
small annoysnces, those we're happy day
10 the husband aud wife. With littl,
Peter Paul, their darling only child, thel
watched "our house" growing into th'
air inch by inch with the keenest delight
and debated, with never tagging interest
how they would spend the three hundred
q year 1t would save to them.
As have said, Mr.. Brown was nervous
He had worked his way into his probes
sion ioilso.nely. aud when At last be va
able to marry bis beloved Mary. whom b.
bad wooed during the de~y morning Q
the freshman year at college, be was thi,
~ FIVE. With an incipient bald spot am
fired habits The first lesson little Pete
Paul learned WAS to keep still At home
But be revenged himself by making lei
rife noise whenever opportunity offered
) The new parsonage promised peculiar de
lights 10 him.